Man fined for selling counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco

A man has been fined £1,000 and ordered to pay costs of the same amount after pleading guilty to selling counterfeit and illegal cigarettes and tobacco.

Mohammedin Akbari of Euromix Food Store, 256 Lincoln Road, pleaded guilty to nine charges at Peterborough Magistrates' Court yesterday (Wednesday 3 August 2016). The offences included the sale of counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco and incorrect labelling which did not conform to UK standards.

The charges follow a trading standards and Cambridgeshire Police seizure on 14 January 2016 of 6,730 cigarettes and 1.45kg of hand rolling tobacco.

On 16 March, a joint operation between trading standards, HMRC and Cambridgeshire Police led to a further seizure of 12,660 cigarettes, 9.55kg of hand rolling tobacco and 208 packets of chewing tobacco.

On both occasions the Amber Leaf and Mayfair cigarettes were confirmed as counterfeit.

At the court hearing today, Akbari was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £900 costs and a £100 victim surcharge for one of the trade mark offences.

Karen Woods, trading standards officer for Peterborough City Council, said: “The tobacco and cigarettes being sold by this man were counterfeit, but were being offered as a genuine product, which is an offence. In addition, the packets did not have the correct labelling required by law.

"I hope this latest successful prosecution will act as a warning to other traders selling counterfeit goods in our city that we will do everything in our power to protect the safety and rights of our residents."